Untouchability endures as a cover for exploitative socio- economic relationships. For millions of Dalits or ‘untouchables’ at the bottom of India’s caste system the social exclusion extends to the economic realms of wages, jobs, education, and land. Dalits are denied access to land, forced to work in degrading conditions, and routinely abused at the hands of the police and of higher-caste groups. Moreover, the persistence of untouchability practices is vital in keeping the hereditary character of the caste system intact for centuries and it is much preserved in the rural India even today. It is proven at Haidra under the Jamui district of Bihar.

Babulal Das (70) s/o late Mural Ravidas, village Haidra, Po Dhanwa, Taluka Islamnagar Aliganj, police station Chandradeep, district Jamui, State Bihar, who works as a cobbler and beats drums in various occasions for the dominant caste people. As a matter of fact, on the eve of May 15, 2003, he was invited for a death ceremony of the deceased Bhola Singh by his son Uma Singh (dominant caste person). Uma Singh asked him to have dinner and go home. And so, he sat for the death ceremonial meal. Dhaneshwar Ravidas, Chandrika Ravidas, Rampravesh Ravidas s/o Bahulal Ravidas, Rajo Dhobi and Manoj Dhobi too were there with him from Haidra, who were invited for the ceremonial meal.

While Babulal Das was still dining, Niranjan Singh (Village chief) caught his collar, dragged him to a public place and asked the dominant caste people to first spit on his face. He even beat him with sticks. Sakal Singh Nemha invited people of his community to pour petrol on Babulal Das’ buttock and to light him with match sticks. Rajo Rajak, who was present over there, pleaded Sakal Singh Nemha for not to do that with Babulal. They then fined Babulal for Rs. 25,000/- . In order to protect his life, Babulal Das agreed to pay the penalty. Niranjan Singh and other dominant caste people warned Babulal not to complain to the police and other officials about the incident. The accused even threatened Babulal to kill if he would do that.

In fact, the reasons behind the beating and public humiliation is referred to have the past connections. One of the reasons was that the dominant caste people of the village acted as ruffians and executed their whims and fancies upon the Dalit community. The Bhumihars freely make Dalits of the village work for them in their fields still. They even take away the shoes made by the Dalits without paying its price. And if a Dalit retaliates to that he has to face the consequences even to loose his life. No matter, in 1983, when Shyam Lal Ravidas, the brother of Babulal Das strongly retaliated to the very actions against the dominant people of the village, he was mercilessly beaten unto death. Babulal Das too was beaten on both the knees with a hammer with which he mended the shoes by Niranjan Singh. The case was registered and the hearing of the case still continued in the district court. The other major reason was that in 2004, Ramakant Singh, Ramashray Singh and Suren Singh s/o late Yadu Singh allured and cheated Shyam Lal Ravidas (brother of Babulal Das) and bought 9 decimals of land just for Rs.3000/- .

In order to take revenge for the above mentioned case, the accused Niranjan Singh s/o late Sitaram Singh, Sakal Singh, Ramakant Singh, Pappu Singh and Nago Singh from the same village physically tortured him and spat on his face in public. They now threaten Babulal for his life. On the very next day, on 16^th April, 2003, Babulal Das went to lodge the complaint in the Chandradeep police station but he was disrespected, scolded and accused of telling lies by the police personnel over there. Later, he gave written complaint to S.P. and D.S.P. of Jamui District. The fact is that they too did not take any action against the accused. The perpetrators are left scot-free still. The victim has given a petition to District Magistrate on 5.3.2007. The victim is continuously threatened by the perpetrators.

The Dalit family of Krishna Gopal Dhanka was the only family at Nimora that was looked down by the others and they kept them as untouchables. The family consisted of five members. Their village Nimora is situated at the foothill. The head of the family Krishna Gopal Dhanka was very much interested in the religious activities. Therefore on April 26, 2003 he set the Statue of Lord Hanuman in the premises of his house that was bigger than the statue situated in the village temple. This did not appeal to the villagers. On October 27,2003 in the evening at 7.00, Bhanwar Lal s/o Krishna Gopal Dhanka, went to fetch a bucket of water from the nearby hand pump, the villagers Ghanshyam Sharma, Narad Khati and Prakash Sharma stopped him taking a bucket of water and threw his bucket away. The same day the villagers called for a Panchayat meeting and called the family of Krishna Gopal Dhanka. The villagers ordered him to remove the statue of the Lord Hanuman or demolish the statue he set in the house premises. When he denied doing so the villagers fined him for Rs. 21,000, saying dare are you to worship Hindu God being a Dalit. He refused to pay the fine too. Then the villagers got furious and beat the family members. The member of the Panchayat banned the family to by anything from the village shops and ceased them to walk out of their house.

The next day, the victims were caught walking on the street and were beaten up thoroughly. The victims went to lodged complaint in Bassi police station, however the SHO of Bassi, threw them away from police station. After many difficulties, the victims could lodge their complaint with the help of a local NGO on 11.12.2003, FIR no. 435/2003. Still the police did nothing except filing the protest petition in favour of the accused. The police also filed a case against the victims IPC section 182. The victims were accused of disturbing the peace and harmony of the village.

But a few days later, with the assistance of a NGO, filed the revision of complain. On that basis the district judge of Jaipur issued an order to arrest the culprits. On hearing the judgment, the culprits threw stones at the victims and abused them habitually. Again complain was given and the police had to provide the protection to the family.

The deceased members Asha Devi, the pregnant woman w/o Lorik Paswan, her son Manoj Kumar and her daughter Lila Kumari, belonged to Dusad community and were the resident of Jhitakiya Tola (Azad Nagar), Murari post office, Kinjar police station, Arwal district, Bihar. The family engaged themselves in wage labourer and now consists of Lorik Paswan s/o Nathun Paswan, Bhorik Paswan s/o Nathun Paswan, Manju Devi d/o Lorik Paswan and Pufla Devi d/o Nathun Paswan.

Lorik Paswan had enmity with Bharosi Mistri a member of the Ranvir Sena. He was suspected to have the membership of PIWA a rebel group. Since there was the tug of war between the Ranvir Sena and the PIWA, the Ranvir Sena headed by Bharosi Mistri wanted to kill Lorik Paswan. On that regard on 9/4/03 at 8.30pm while getting ready for the sleep 50 – 60 people of Ranvir Sena entered the house of Lorik Paswan and killed his wife, a son and a daughter since he was not found in the house and shouted the slogans of Ranvir Sena.  On 10/4/03 in the morning Lorik Paswan filed FIR no. 21/03 under the sections 341/ 323/ 307/ 302 and 34 IPC. On the same day the SP, DSP and DM visited the place and granting Rs. 3000 for the cremation of the bodies took the dead bodies for the postmortem report in Jahanabad Hospital. After that the bodies were handed over to the family.

Till now only the three perpetrators have been arrested and jailed. Charge sheet and the diary against the three are submitted in the district court and the police is looking for the other accused members. The compensation of one lakh rupee is paid to the family. No government job has been offered to a family member. On 20/11/05 the main victim Lorik Paswan has been sent to jail under the accusation of breaking the jail open. The people of Ranvir Sena are constantly threatening the victims.